To live is to love
by SummerSunshine13
Summary: Peyton is trapped inside Tree Hill High while time is running out. Will Lucas save her or will it be too late? Yes...I know this is another school shooting story but I have a twist. Sucky Summary, I know
1. Panicked

Okay, this is another version of the school shooting episode. I changed it so don't be confused if it differs from the show.

It was just a regular day at school for most people. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and nothing appeared wrong. The chatter in the hallways was standard as the five minute bell rang prominently throughout the massive building. Posters for the school-sponsored bake sale and car wash hung crooked on the school bulletin boards and classroom doors. Everything was like any other day; until everything changed…

A deafening gun shot rang as everything and everyone became quiet. Worried and frightened, students turned abruptly to the sound of the blast. Horrified, they saw Jimmy Edwards standing towards a broken glass door holding a gun. Screams shrieked and students ran to the closest safe place they knew. Blood spattered on the ground.

Their world as they knew it had changed, and they couldn't do anything to fix it.

**_Five minutes earlier_**

Peyton stepped out of her vintage car and sighed as she realized she had forgotten about the United States Government exam she had first hour. "Damn." She hissed, getting mad at herself for not remembering how important this was to her grade. Peyton reached into the backseat as she yanked out her tan messenger bag. She flipped her hair under her ear and began walking to Tree Hill High.

"Hey. P. Sawyer." A feisty brunette greeted, as she gave her best friend a hug. "Did you hear that Paul Brisk knocked up that girl in our Physics class…Ashley...I think." She crinkled her forehead as she tried to remember the name.

"Hey Brooke." Peyton grumbled as she continued to sulk about her forgotten exam. Brooke turned to her as she realized her best friend wasn't as perky as she was.

"What's wrong?" Brooke frowned as Peyton brooded.

"Its nothing. Never mind. I'm just stupid, that's all." Peyton managed to smile as they entered the building she had gone to every weekday for 4 years.

"First of all Peyton, you're not stupid and secondly, I have to jet because Lucas said he was coming early because he had to tell me something. Talk to you second hour k? I heard Mr. Mullock isn't going to be here today since his wife had their baby yesterday. Bye" Brooke said hurriedly as she quickly ran into the other side of the hall where Lucas was waiting for her. He waved to Peyton as she waved back and smiled slightly. Why did she always have to fall for the taken guy? She sighed as she started to walk down the hall to her United States government class.

Suddenly, Peyton fell flat on her ass; she had just ran into somebody. She looked down as her books had fallen out of her bag and had scattered across the hallway. Peyton exhaled deeply as she realized this day couldn't get worse.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The person who she had run into rambled. Peyton looked up and shrugged.

"Nah. It was my fault. I'm always clumsy." She smiled slightly as she remembered seeing this person before.

"You're Jimmy Edwards, right?" Peyton asked after she had gotten up and brushed herself off. The boy nodded, his head down. "Weren't you the guy at those basketball games that hung out with Mouth?" He looked up baffled, 'she remembered who he was?'

"Yeah. So?" Jimmy spat, his mood changing. Peyton frowned a little, she was just trying to be nice…

"Oh, nothing. Anyways, sorry for bumping into you." She squat down and gathered her remaining books.

"Yeah." He mumbled almost inaudibly. Jimmy looked ahead and saw some jocks going through his locker and he realized he had had it. Peyton was already walking away past the guys and he continued to walk closer to his enemies. . Peyton looked at the mess on the floor and lowered her head as she stepped past it.

"Edwards!" One of the guys yelled in his face" You suck!" He kicked his books one more time and began to walk off with his friends, laughing.

Jimmy frowned, with hate and anger, and he grabbed his gun out of his sweatshirt.

"You guys should rot in hell." He raised the gun, shut his eyes, and pulled the trigger. He heard silence for a moment before the screams of students were heard. Jimmy rushed out of the hall as he realized what he had just done.

Lucas had just walked Brooke to her first class and was now walking into the northeast hall of Tree Hill High. He stood still as a shot rang throughout the halls. Students were rushing to anyplace they could and all he could think of was Peyton. She was where that gun had just been shot. Lucas could tell by where the sound had just came from.

While all the students were rushing in the opposite direction, he ran towards the horrid sound. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Haley rushing towards him.

"Lucas!" She shouted as she ran to him. Her face was red and panicked. "Are you okay?" She asked, out of breath.

"Hales, I'm fine. Are you okay?" He took a deep breath as he looked over towards the almost vacant hall.

"Oh yeah, I'm ok. Did you see Nathan?" The worry in her eyes showed everything.

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry. Brooke's okay though. Now I'm looking for Peyton. Did you see her?" Haley shook her head.

"Lucas don't leave me." Her voice was so sad and scared that Lucas knew he couldn't say no.

"Of course. But I need to find her Hales. I can't let her get hurt again." He felt so compelled to save her and he could instantly put his own life on the line.

Suddenly, another bullet shot came from the direction of the empty hallway. Haley jumped and tears started to fall down her face. Screams were heard in that direction.

"Oh god. I hope Nathan's okay." She was shaking now, and Lucas knew he had to bring her to somewhere safe.

"Hales, follow me." He walked into one of the empty classrooms near by and looked for something to hit someone with if they bumped into anyone.

"Luke, what are you looking for?" She glanced over at him confused.

"Found it." He picked up a baseball bat and looked outside the classroom.

"Okay Hales. We have to be quiet now. Don't say a word." He led her out of the room as they stepped over the numerous backpacks and books scattered on the ground. Lucas stopped as they reached a messenger bag Lucas knew was Peyton's. Haley realized this too and gasped.

"Don't worry Luke. She's probably ok." Lucas looked up to see a broken window with glass shattered everywhere with a small puddle of blood next to some more glass.

Haley grabbed Lucas' hand as they continued up some stairs. He smiled back at her as they reached the entrance to the library.

He opened the door slowly, as they stepped into the large library. He sighed a breath of relief that no noise was made from the door. But they should have shut it slowly also, as when it shut, it made the entire room echo.

Suddenly, Lucas was thrown to the ground and Haley screamed at the top of her lungs. Lucas was out cold and Haley was left with the person who had just knocked Lucas to the ground.

To Be Continued…

If you want me to continue, please review and say so... Thanks


	2. Searching

To live is to Love

Chapter two

Thanks for all the great reviews!

Haley screamed at the top of her lungs as Lucas fell heavy to the ground. Suddenly, a large hand was against her mouth forcing her to be quiet.

"Haley!" Nathan shushed. After he managed to get her to stop making a scene, he bent down to see how his brother was doing.

"Nathan! Oh my god I'm so glad you're okay!" Haley whispered, more tears falling down her face. Suddenly she remember what Nathan had done to Lucas.

"Why'd you hit Lucas?"

He looked up at her sadly. "I didn't know who it was at first. I thought it was the kid with the gun!" He placed his hand on Lucas' face.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked, looking at her best friend laying 'dead like' on the ground.

"He'll be fine. He'll just have a big headache." Nathan got up and placed his arms under Lucas' shoulder and dragged him behind a big bookshelf.

"Jees, woman. You have one loud voice. We don't want that psycho to come after us." He laid his brother against the books and looked at his wife. "Are you sure you're okay? Why are you still here?" He looked at her worriedly.

"Yeah Nathan, I'm fine. I found Lucas right after the first gun shot went off . He's searching for Peyton. We saw blood everywhere and her messenger bag but we don't know where she is. She can't be too far." Haley sat down on the floor and moved a small piece of hair off of Lucas' forehead.

Slowly, Lucas began to come too it. He opened his eyes to see Nathan to the right of him, looking concerned.

"You okay, man?" Nathan asked as Lucas tried to sit up.

"Yeah," He squinted his eyes a little. "Did you knock me out, Nate?"

"Yeah, Sorry. I thought you were a bad guy." Nathan stated, kind of embarrassed.

"Don't worry about. I'm glad you're here. Now you can stay with Haley while I find Peyton.

Suddenly, another gun shot rang out not far from where they were. Haley tried her hardest not to scream and Nathan placed his hand back on her mouth, just in case.

"How about not, Luke." Nathan looked sternly at his brother.

"I can't just let her be alone all by herself. I can't do that to her. She needs me." He argued.

"Well, she needs you alive, not dead Luke." Nathan tried to reason, but he knew his odds were very slim.

"What if something happens to her? What if she gets shot? I will never forgive myself." Lucas was already getting up but Haley's hand stopped him.

"Luke, I can't let you go. Not without us."

Lucas shook his head profusely. He was not going to let them go into anymore danger than he had already taken them. "Sorry, But I have to do this on my own."

"You can't save her every time Luke." Nathan argued as he watched his brother move to the library door and pick up the bat that fell when Lucas was knocked out.

"Luke. I'm coming with you." Haley jumped up and jogged to where her best friend was.

Nathan preceded to get up and follow the two. They were the biggest idiots ever but he knew Lucas had to find Peyton.

The three continued to walk down the large hall as they heard hushed voices in front of them. "Shhhh." Lucas warned to the other two as he kept going towards the noise.

"Lucas…Don't" Haley begged, knowing this wasn't the best idea right about now.

He looked back at her with stern eyes. "Shhh! Hales or leave because I need to find her without being shot." He replied harshly.

A random cell phone went off in a backpack which made Haley and Nathan jump. Haley walked over to the noise and searched in the bag until she pulled out a silver flip phone.

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked quickly.

"Well, I left my phone in my backpack that I dropped in the hallway and Nathan's phone service got canceled last week and I thought we need some kind of communication device in case worst comes to worst." She concluded as she put the phone into silent mode.

"Good thinking Hales." Lucas nodded. He had left his phone at home this morning.

Helicopters sounded above them nosily as the voices they recently heard disappeared into the loud noise of the news crews.

"Call Peyton's cell." Lucas announced almost inaudibly. He knew he had a small chance of her picking up.

Haley quickly dialed the number while Nathan went to the front of the hallway to make sure the nobody was there.

"Come on Peyton. Pick up…" She mumbled to herself as the annoying dial tone rang for what seemed like hours.

Lucas looked so sad as he watched his best friend hope so bad for Peyton to pick up.

"I just got her voice mail Luke." She shut the phone and glanced over to Nathan who was walking back to them. He went and gave her a big bear hug.

"Where would Peyton be?" Lucas stated to himself. Suddenly Haley had an idea.

"Bathroom!" She exclaimed louder than she should have.

"SHHH!" Nathan and Lucas scolded. "What are you talking about?" Nathan asked.

"The bathroom, last year when she broke up with Nathan for good. I found her in the bathroom crying. She might be in the bathroom.

Lucas and Nathan nodded. They were going to try anything to find her.

But before they could walk to the closest bathroom to check, they heard a small patter of footsteps coming towards them. Lucas tightened his grip on the baseball bat and Nathan stood in front of Haley just incase anything bad was to happen.

"Lucas! Nathan! Haley! What happened in here?" Mouth spoke a little too quickly. Rachel followed close behind.

Lucas shoved his hand over Mouth's mouth to silence him.

"Whoa!" Mouth said. "What's wrong?"

"There's a psycho with a gun." Nathan informed him sternly. Rachel looked horrified.

Mouth's appearance looked shocked as his mouth dropped.

"A gun? Here?" He started rambling.

"Leave Mouth. Get out of here." Lucas demanded quickly. "It's not safe here. You too Rachel."

"Why are you guys still in here then?" He asked confused.

" I have to find Peyton… Something's bad going to happen. I just know it." Lucas stated as Mouth nodded knowingly.

Suddenly, another gun shot sounded as a piercing scream sounded throughout the hall.

"I'll stay with you guys." Mouth announced as he got moose bumps all over his body.

To Be Continued.


End file.
